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Updated: May 31, 2025
Inhab. Van Diemen's Land. Mr. Madagascar appears to be the tropical confines of the genus. The Western Australia Cray-fish. ASTACUS QUINQUE-CARINATUS, t. 3. f. 3.
For some distance no land was seen, but as the soundings were very regular, Captain Furneaux was of opinion that no straits existed between New Holland and Van Diemen's Land, but only a very deep bay. Having come to this erroneous opinion, he bore away for New Zealand, and had been five weeks in Ship Cove when the Resolution appeared.
The coast of Van Diemen's Land abounds in bays and fine harbours; nor is this island at all deficient in rivers and streams, imparting life to the landscape, and fruitfulness to the soil. The Derwent, upon the banks of which stands Hobart Town, is a very fine river, without rocks or sand banks, and always safely navigable for ships of considerable size.
New South Wales. Sandstone formation. Embedded pseudo-fragments of shale. Stratification. Current-cleavage. Great valleys. Van Diemen's Land. Palaeozoic formation. Newer formation with volcanic rocks. Travertin with leaves of extinct plants. Elevation of the land. New Zealand. King George's Sound. Superficial ferruginous beds. Superficial calcareous deposits, with casts of branches.
I had often observed, that when this voyage, upon which we were now entered, was the subject of conversation, in company with the governor, he always spoke in favour of the passage round Van Diemen's land, and to the westward; but when I signified a wish that he would direct by what route I should endeavour to perform the voyage, he declined that; and said that I should be governed by circumstances, and that he should leave it to my discretion and judgment; at the same time expressing his opinion strongly in favour of the western route; which I confess I was a little surprised at, as it had never yet been attempted, not even by ships employed in that kind of service which leaves it in their power to make experiments.
In the midst of a people thus constituted, a press "unshackled by stamps, paper-excise, advertisement duty, or censorship," is doing its daily or weekly work of enlightening the minds of the people respecting their grievances; and where, as in Van Diemen's Land, there is said to be a newspaper for every 1666 free persons, the people must indeed bask in the sunshine of political illumination.
We had much bad weather with snow and hail, and in our approach to Van Diemen's Land nothing was seen to indicate the nearness of the coast, except a seal, when we were within the distance of 20 leagues. Tuesday 19. At ten o'clock this afternoon we saw the rock named the Mewstone, that lies near the south-west cape of Van Diemen's Land, bearing north-east about six leagues.
Respecting the Aborigines of Van Diemen's Land, who were thus forcibly removed, Mr. I did not find them retaining that ferocious character which they displayed in their own country; they shewed no hostility, nor even hostile recollection towards the whites.
We were now in latitude 44° 29' south, by account, and longitude 144° 30' east, being so near Van Diemen's Land, and so well to the southward as I supposed we were, I had no doubt of being able to cross it, and, availing myself of this southerly wind, to run along the coast to the northward, and reach Port Jackson in a few days; but as we drew near the meridian of the south cape, the gale increased to a mere tempest, attended with thick hazy weather, and a most astonishing high sea; this brought us under a reefed fore-sail, balanced mizzen, and the three storm stay-sails.
In this voyage Tasman discovered an extensive country lying to the south of New Holland; in giving a name to which, he immortalized his patron, by calling it "Van Diemen's Land," having no suspicion at the time that it was an island. It was not till the year 1798 that it was discovered to be such; as in all the old maps and charts it is represented as part of the main land of New Holland.
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